Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Spring’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Spring’, characterized by its quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about 6.6 cm in diameter; attractive light pink-colored ray florets; early flowering, response time about 51 days; dark green foliage; strong stems; and good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for at least three weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spring’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new cut Chrysanthemum cultivars havinginflorescences with desirable colors and good form and substance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor inDecember, 1993, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemumseedling selection identified as 0994, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selectionidentified as 1639, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.

The cultivar Spring was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Salinas, Calif., in April, 1995. The selection of thisplant was based on its desirable inflorescence colors and good form andsubstance.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings takenin a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that theunique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Spring has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Spring’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Spring’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about 6.6 cm indiameter.

2. Attractive light pink-colored ray florets.

3. Early flowering, response time about 51 days.

4. Dark green foliage.

5. Thick and strong stems.

6. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining goodsubstance and color for at least three weeks in an interior environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Spring’ grown as a spray-type cutChrysanthemum.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Spring’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., underconditions which approximate commercial practice in a double-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Jun. 7, 2000 and received 12 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem spray-type cut chrysanthemums. During the production time,the following environmental conditions were measured: day temperatures,18 to 27° C.; night temperatures, 16 to 18° C.; and light levels, 2,000to 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for six to ten typical flowering stems and were taken duringthe week of Aug. 25, 2000.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Spring.

Commercial classification: Quilled decorative-type cut Chrysanthemum.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Proprietary Chrysanthemum×morifolium seedlingselection identified as code number 0994, not patented.

Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Chrysanthemum×morifolium seedlingselection identified as code number 1639, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.—Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Herbaceous quilled decorative-type cut flower.

Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About 94 cm.Diameter: About 7.5 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 9.8 cm.Width: About 8.7 cm. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate. Base: Mostlytruncate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses convergent and overlapping.Texture: Upper and lower surfaces pubescent; veins prominent on lowersurface. Color: Young foliage upper surface: 147A. Young foliage lowersurface: 147B. Mature foliage upper surface: 147A; venation, close to147B. Mature foliage lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to147B to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.Color: Close to 147B.

Flowering description:

Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with elongatedquilled-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arisingfrom leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to about two weeks of long day/short night conditions afterplanting followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditionsflower about 51 days later.

Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for at least three weeks in aninterior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering with about 17inflorescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.6 cm. Depth (height): About 2.2cm. Diameter of disc: About 8 mm. Diameter of receptacle: About 8.5 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated, quilled. Length: About 3.1 cm. Width:About 5 mm. Corolla tube length: About 2.6 cm. Corolla tube width, atbase: About 1.5 mm. Apex: Rounded, mammillate or emarginate. Base:Fused. Texture: Satiny, smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Initially upright andincurved to mostly straight and flat with development; when mature, raysupright, about 45° from vertical. Number of ray florets perinflorescence: About 224 arranged in numerous rows. Color: When opening,upper and lower surfaces: Initially, light yellowish green, 154D;becoming light green, 145C to 145D; then becoming white, 155D. Mature,outside of tube: White, 155D, ground color, overlain with 77A; overalltonality, 75A to 75C. Mature, inside of tube: White, 155D, ground color,overlain with 77A; overall tonality, 75B to 75C.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; slightly flared at apex. Length: About 7mm. Width: Apex: About 1.5 mm. Base: About 1 mm. Number of disc floretsper inflorescence: Massed at center of receptacle, about 51. Color:Immature: 144A to 154A. Mature: Apex: 9A. Mid-section and base: 155D.

Peduncle.—Aspect: Strong, angled about 45 to 50° from vertical. Length:First peduncle: About 8.3 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 11.7 cm. Seventhpeduncle: About 14.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture: Very finepubescence. Color: 146A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 9A. Amount of pollen: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: 15A.Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Chrysanthemums hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have demonstratedgood tolerance to night temperatures as low as 5° C. and daytemperatures lower than 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Spring’, as illustrated and described.